


Magenta Brick

by yeaka



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Anal Sex, M/M, Mentions of rough sex, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-25 07:04:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17720438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Isa and Lea settle after the fall.





	1. Awake

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I might do a few small chapters on this one, since Revel got so many nice comments... the E rating is for possible smut in the future.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kingdom Hearts or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

It’s strange, being back in Radiant Garden, even stranger being there in different clothes and without the marks under his eyes. Everything _feels_ different, from the cut of the shallow wind to the floral scent in the air. A part of him doesn’t _want_ to be back—all the good memories he had at ‘home’ have long since been swallowed up in shadows. All the better memories now reside in Twilight Town, with Roxas and sometimes Xion, up on their favourite tower. They would’ve come with him now if he’d asked. But this is something he has to do alone. Something he _has_ to do. He walks towards the old castle with an odd trepidation in his step. But of course, being Lea, not all that different than _Axel_ , he doesn’t let it stop him. 

Dilan and Aeleus are outside to greet him, though neither is particularly welcoming. Lea’s not much better, even though he grins and pretends like he’s glad to see them—at least, to see them as they are now: complete and without that sinister edge that Xehanort sewed into everything. They let him inside, where he finds his own way through, past the computer room where Leon and Ienzo are busy talking, beyond the isolated chamber where Even’s muttering to himself, up by the sitting room where Demyx is plucking at his sitar, no different than before. Lea’s not even sure of his real name. He waves when he spots Lea, and Lea decides to stop, hovering in the doorway to ask, “Hey. Where is he?”

“’Castle’s full of ‘he’s’, dude, ” Demyx hums. It makes Lea’s lips twitch on the edge of a smile, because it’s so normal and casual, despite everything they’ve been through.

Lea clarifies. “Isa. Saïx. He’s here, right?”

Demyx instantly straightens, as though expecting his old manager to pop out from behind the couch and order him to work. He gestures vaguely towards the ceiling. “Yeah, next floor up. He came in all beat up—” Lea’s wracked with a sudden visceral flinch, “But Ienzo says he’ll be fine or something.”

Lea doesn’t ask about the ‘or something.’ And he doesn’t explain why Isa would be in such poor shape—it shames him to think about, even though he knows his former friend gave him no choice. And he doesn’t truly regret it. If it made Isa whole and sane again, all his own instead of some madman’s puppet, then every blow was worth it, no matter how painful to deliver. 

Lea leaves Demyx without another word, trailing away from the lilting notes of a burgeoning song. Another set of stairs, and he’s walking down a familiar hallway, where all their bedrooms used to be. A lot of it’s the same, but so much is different, from paint colour to furnishings—Lea knows that a number of people have been working hard to set their world right again. Lea’s old bedroom is empty, but the door next to it’s ajar. 

He doesn’t knock first. He probably should, but there’s never been much privacy between them. Lea can practically _sense_ Isa on the other side, like he recognizes the faint rhythm of Isa’s breath or something equally ridiculous. Sure enough, he slips through to find Isa huddled up in bed. Propped against the headboard, Isa has a book open in his lap, his green eyes leaving it for Lea. It’s good to see them _green_ again, made turquoise against the deep blue of his hair, and not the bright yellow-orange they’ve flickered through in the past. For a moment, those eyes are wide around the edges. Then Isa quickly hides any surprise behind the usual mask of indifference. Lea grins anyway. He doesn’t mean to—it just pulls at him, all new emotions plucking the strings of his pliant body. He walks towards the bed like he’s been physically tugged by Isa’s heart.

He comes right up to where Isa’s sitting and plops down onto the mattress. Isa’s still frowning, but that’s his way. It’s up to Lea to make the first move. He opens, “It’s good to see you, Isa.” 

Isa hesitates, then sighs. His gaze burns into Lea so intensely, drinking him in and savouring it—Lea’s sure of that—but then it drops abruptly away. Eyeing the fresh paint on the far wall, Isa answers, stilted, “You too.”

Lea snorts—can’t help himself. That draws Isa’s attention back. Lea knows his grin’s _too_ wide, but just _being with Isa_ is... he can’t even describe it. All the awkwardness he’d feared goes right out the window. It’s not like old times. They’re older, wiser, than they were the last time they sat together with two beating hearts, and they’re freer than when their animated shells would steal moments in a different castle. For a conspicuous stretch, they’re both silent. Lea’s had longer with his heart than Isa, but time hasn’t made it all that much easier to deal with.

Finally, he asks, “How are you feeling?”

He half expects Isa to grumble, _’poorly, no thanks to you’_ , or something like that, but Isa lets out a long breath and mutters, “ _Good_.” A few second’s pause, and he adds, “Less burdened, even though I still have so many questions.”

Lea’s chest constricts with the same problem, but he hurries to sweep past that, onto hope. “Yeah, it’s a mess... but this might be the best it gets. ...And hey, it could be a lot worse.”

Isa looks at him, clearly unsatisfied, but it should be obvious by now that they can’t bend the whole universe to their will. Lea tries to smile wider, though he knows it’s wavering, in the vain hope of cheering Isa up. They _did_ get lucky. They’re _free_ now, and the world’s better off for it. Lea got almost everything he wanted. 

Isa murmurs a quiet, “ _Lea_...” but doesn’t finish the thought. Something about the way he says it, so soft and strangely _heartfelt_ , warms Lea up inside.

He needs to share that, and he knows how to do that now. He opens his thin arms and leans forward. Isa parts his lips, clearly caught off guard and not reciprocating, but Lea follows through anyway. He shifts closer and wraps himself around his old friend, cocooning Isa in a thick embrace. At first, Isa’s tense as stone, but then he slowly relaxes into Lea’s arms, even eventually returning it. It’s a stiff, broken hug, but it makes Lea feel like everything’s been worth it. He doesn’t want to let go.

He does let go, and first, because he knows that he’s the more emotionally literate one now, and he takes responsibility for those displays. Isa looks a little unsure afterwards. He says, sounding genuinely lost but slightly tinged with bitterness, “I thought you’d be staying in Twilight Town. You were always sneaking off there.”

“And I was always eating ice cream,” Lea counters, “’Doesn’t mean that’s _all_ I ate.” Isa blinks like he’s not so sure. Lea ditches the metaphor and explains, “Actually... I haven’t really been staying anywhere, to be honest. I didn’t have any down time. But, I was gonna stay here tonight, so...”

Isa opens his mouth, but whatever he was going to say evaporates when the door opens wide again. They both look back to see Ienzo coming forward with a tray of soup and water. He smiles kindly at Lea but still scolds, “I think we should call that it for visiting. Aerith says you need more fluids and plenty of rest, Isa. I promised I’d make sure that happens.”

Isa gives a gruff, “Thank you.” But he’s obviously watching Lea from the corner of his eye.

He does look _tired_. Rest seems like the right prescription. Beyond that, he looks good, both healthy and hot. His smooth hair is a little ruffled from the sheets and pillows but nowhere near as tangled up as Lea’s. His fair skin has a healthy glow to it, and the pointed tips of his ears have even lessened to a rounder curve. He still bears the criss-crossed scars over the bridge of his nose, but they look good on him, suit him—he wouldn’t be _Isa_ if he didn’t have at least one small edge of harshness.

Looking at him, breathing him in, Lea doesn’t want to go. But he reminds himself that they have time now, and Isa will need time more than anyone—re-completion is a big adjustment. Silently agreeing, Isa nods his head in dismissal.

Lea reaches out to grab Isa’s hand, heedless of their audience. He squeezes it and smiles, then promises on a whim: “I’ll never forget you. Got it memorized?”

Isa rolls his eyes and pulls his hand away. But the warmth of it still lingers. Lea laughs as he leaves, then strays in the hallway longer than he means to. It takes him a second to realize what’s off. Then he holds his hand against his chest.

His heart is racing.

He laughs again, pleased.


	2. Restart

Everything about this new life is odd, but perhaps the strangest thing of all is _dreaming_ —closing his eyes and being swept away inside a whole other world. He used to dream every night, once, but now that seems an age ago, and his mind’s mostly forgotten. Now it’s frantic, and it claws its way through the haze of space and sea that are both closing in on him, nonsensically competing at every angle. Isa’s adrift in it. He was searching for a star, he thinks, or some speck of light just off the horizon, but now he’s lost and sinking and can’t recognize his own reflection in the water.

A noise stirs him out of nowhere. It pierces through the blues and purples, running right into his body. He shifts. His eyes twitch. The dream slips away from him, and he lifts his lashes enough to face the morning light. For that first few seconds, he’s completely disoriented. 

Then the door nudges open, and Isa lifts up enough to see a familiar figure shimmying through. Dressed in all black but _not_ a coat, Lea comes forward. He has a tray with him, like the ones Ienzo’s been bringing, this time holding a glass of orange-coloured liquid and a plate of what smells like toast. Isa blinks up at him.

“Rise and shine,” Lea coos. He comes right to the side of the bed, plopping down in the same spot he took up yesterday. He holds the tray over Isa, but lets it hover there as Isa tiredly pushes up in bed, then sits it down on his lap. “You’re a somebody now, you know. Gotta get up and moving.”

That’s rich, coming from Lea, who was never much of a morning person and used to play dead to get out of early missions. It’s a shame, because the early light suits him, washing over his vibrant hair to really make him look like _fire_. He grins at Isa with a spark of _life_ that never quite left him. His green eyes are bright and dazzling—so much better than _yellow_ would be. Almost every part of Isa is glad he failed and Lea survived. 

The rest of him just can’t admit it again, not so soon after last night—he was already too vulnerable. He grunts his assent and nothing more. 

Lea looks like he can see right through Isa. He pushes the glass forward and persists, “Eat up, buddy. I’m going to nurse you back to health.”

Isa can’t help a disgruntled retort: “I’m in perfect health. I only needed rest.”

Lea clicks his tongue, ever impudent. “Don’t be so sure. These bodies aren’t like the old ones. They need lots of care.” He says the last word with a touch of extra importance. Isa hasn’t _cared_ about or for anything in years. 

Lea has. He never stopped. And he looks like he’s well loved for it: in good condition and _happy_. Isa is... happy for him.

Isa’s frozen up again, lost in the deluge of new sensations. He forcibly shakes himself out of it, reaching for the glass and looking away. It proves to be orange juice—a taste he’d nearly forgotten. He eyes go everywhere but Lea as he drinks it down. He’s in the same room that he was brought to two days ago, the one he’s been holed up in since, so very like his old bedroom and yet so very different. He’s older now—his perspective’s changed. But the walls are also a different hue, a pale sort of crimson-burgundy, the tall windows sporting criss-crossed glass with mustard curtains half drawn over them. The furniture is old and wooden, the bed much bigger than it needs to be. The colour scheme is muted, but it’s still strange to be surrounded by _colours_ —he never left the other castle much. He just delegated. His whole life will be different now. He knows that.

Really, it’s overwhelming. He gets little pricks and sparks from all sorts of small things—the crunch of his toast, the pulp left in the glass, the warmth of the early sun. He _felt_ things before, but it’s so very different to feel things _about_ them; his senses feel overloaded. He was learning to adjust. But Lea’s arrival is a wrench in the cogs, because Lea seems to ignite his senses like nothing else. But that’s no surprise. Lea always could crawl under his skin. And Lea looks scrumptious now, sitting within arm’s reach, both the boy that Isa used to know and a man Isa has to learn to.

Lea helps himself to a piece of toast too, and Isa doesn’t scold him for it. For a while, they eat in silence. It isn’t a particularly hearty breakfast, but Isa isn’t ready to stomach much. He can’t remember the last time he ate before this castle. Then Lea asks suddenly, “Have you seen the town?”

“Of course,” Isa snorts, because he grew up here, and Lea knows that better than anyone. Lea shakes his head.

“Nah, I mean lately. It’s changed.”

Isa _has_ visited not too long ago, but not to look around—just to stand over the gorge and call down the hordes. He supposes it’s not the same. He begrudgingly shakes his head.

“Want a tour guide?” Lea asks. 

Isa finishes his toast before he answers. “Yes.” And he says it evenly, but inside, he’s pleased. He doesn’t realize why at first. Then he looks at Lea long enough that the answer comes to him. He likes the idea of having all of Lea’s attention. He hopes the tour takes some time. 

Lea grins at the answer. He says, “Great. Then we’ll go as soon as you finish up and have a shower.” He follows up with a wink, which has Isa’s cheeks heating for no particular reason. Then he’s thrown into a sharp memory of another time Isa winked at him—taunting him in his white room, flagrantly ignoring rules, then daring Isa to punish him. _Wink_. He’d sauntered out of Saïx’s room, going deliberately slow, making it all too easy to grab his skinny arm and jerk him backwards. 

Seething and yet empty, Saïx had grabbed Axel with both hands and all but manhandled him down onto the mattress. Axel had laughed, tossed his hair back, smirked up at Saïx and even spread his legs. 

And Saïx had _burned_. He ploughed down into Axel, spearing him right open, blanketing him completely and crushing all his air. But Nobodies don’t breathe. And it wasn’t until Axel had left, sweat-slicked and no more tamed, that he realized what really galled him. He wasn’t trying to wipe that smirk off Axel’s face. He was just trying to react to it, to care in the first place, to _feel_ anything at all.

He always felt closest when he was holding Axel. Even when the hold was ugly. 

He’s dragged back to the real world by Lea lifting off the mattress. He leaves the tray with Isa, nods left, and tells him, “I’ll be in the other room; hit me up when you’re ready.”

Feeling feverish for a multitude of reasons, Isa agrees, “Sure.”

* * *

It _has_ changed. Parts of it are almost unrecognizable. Even the brickwork comes in different colours, and there are houses where the gardens used to be, then large, steam-powered machines that stick out like sore thumbs. Lea tells him about it all, pointing to this and that and throwing out different names of people Isa’s never met before. There’s even a _duck_ selling ice cream, which shouldn’t surprise him, given all he’s seen in the universe, but it does. Lea says he saw that duck when he was younger, but Isa doesn’t remember. It doesn’t matter. The tour is more interesting than he thought it’d be, but he’s more interested in _Lea_ than anything else around them.

They walk for some time, weaving in and out of different neighbourhoods. For the most part, it’s enjoyable, except that every once in a while Lea will make a comparison to Twilight Town, and jealousy bubbles up in Isa like a sick disease he can’t find a cure for. He tries to be mature about it—he’s too old for jealous rages. He tries to crush it down and be _happy_ that Lea’s found happiness. It helps him get by but doesn’t totally erase the feeling. 

When they reach the bailey, their footsteps slow, and Lea goes to lean against the cut-open wall that looks down across the blue and purple valley. Isa joins him, and for a moment, the two of them just take in the view. Isa’s seen it not too long ago, and it didn’t affect him then. It does now. There should be _flowers_. This place used to be beautiful—used to live up to its name. It pains him to know that he helped the change that made it cold and unsightly. The unnatural shades and unique cutouts in the landscape can’t compare to the sprawling vista it used to be. Isa has to pull away from it, moving his gaze to Lea instead. 

Lea’s smiling at him, softer than usual, for once devoid of humour. He tells Isa with unwavering sincerity, “It’s good to have you back.”

Isa can’t respond to that. They’re getting too close again, and it’s bringing back an avalanche of memories and emotion that he doesn’t know how to face. He switches the subject to: “You’ve been busy.” Lea frowns, confused, so Isa clarifies, “A keyblade master and everything...” He can’t help snorting, in jest and without malice, “Can’t imagine why they picked _you_ of all people...”

Lea’s grin comes right back. It verges on a smirk—that typical confidence that Lea always seemed to have. “Hey, it wasn’t easy, you know. I’m not as lazy as you think.”

Isa scoffs. He never really thought Lea was _lazy_ , not when it came to the important things. It was just an easy way to tease him, because he didn’t do all he should. 

The moment stretches. Isa doesn’t have anything else to say—just _looks_ at Lea, until Lea asks, “So... what are you going to do now?”

Isa blinks. Somehow, he hadn’t even thought of that. Which is absurd. He used to be the one that did all the planning. Lea prompts, “You could stay here and help Ienzo with Ansem’s work. Or Leon with the restoration committee. ...You could even become a Keyblade master...”

Isa lets out a short bark of laughter. He can’t imagine that. He doesn’t think he _should_ be allowed such a powerful weapon. At least, not yet. He shakes his head and admits, “I don’t know.” He feels completely displaced and thought Lea might’ve too, except it seems Lea’s made a billion friends while Isa was still out making enemies. Lea patiently waits, like knowing Isa has more to say, and slowly, Isa does. “I suppose... I’d like to fix what I started. ...But another part of me just wants to get away from it all.” Lea nods and keeps waiting. Isa was never particularly talkative but does his best to be open with the one person he has left. “I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll simply obtain a bland job and find a small place in town.”

“You should sell ice cream,” Lea interjects. He even nudges Isa lightly in the side, adding with a wink, “Then you can give me freebies.”

Isa snorts. “You can pay like everyone else.” Never mind that Isa would never do a job like that.

Lea whines, “But I’m flat broke! S’not like keyblade wielding comes with a paycheck...”

“Then you’ll have to have less expensive tastes.”

“Your ice cream’s going to be expensive?”

“Extraordinarily so.”

Lea leans over the grey ledge and groans. Isa’s face feels strange, and it takes him a second to realize that that’s because he’s grinning so hard. He drops it quickly, but he can tell from the look in Lea’s green eyes that he’s already seen it. Lea’s smile grows broader as if to compensate, and he asks in a low voice, “How about I pay in _other_ things?”

Isa quirks a brow. “Like what?” But he can already guess from Lea’s wolfish grin.

Lea sidles closer, close enough that their arms brush. Then Lea closes in. Their lips brush together, Lea tilting aside so their noses don’t bump. There’s no chaste beginning—Lea’s already open, and when his mouth flattens into Isa’s, he bids Isa’s open too. Isa obliges. He lets his eyes fall closed, lets his body lean into the touch, into the burning warmth that is _Lea_. Lea’s mouth is just wet heat and the faint taste of toast and oranges. Isa tries to pick up every detail. But those thoughts fade faster than they used to—it’s hard to still be analytical when those details really _mean_ something. They culminate in a tingling _pleasure_ that Isa hasn’t felt in ages.

It’s only a kiss. Just one kiss, and he’s done. It all comes back to him—huddling together, those first few nights as Nobodies, sharing fears and anger, bubbling with pettiness on the surface but drowning in emptiness beneath, growing up and apart and only coming together to claw at one another’s cloaks and desperately _trying_ to rekindle a connection. Everything was hopeless. This is so similar—Lea’s body is the exactly same shape as Axel’s, and it fits the exact same way in Isa’s arms. But it’s also a world of difference that has Isa surging forward and wanting _more_.

He pushes at Lea, and Lea pushes back, fiercer and stronger—Isa lets Lea turn them and crowd him back against the wall, away from the lookout. One kiss becomes ten, twenty, until Isa’s lost count and is just drowning in Lea’s mouth.

He could do this for hours. He _did_ do this for hours. He used to pin Lea down against the mattress and drive into his pliant body without mercy. He’d be desperate to see Lea _cry_ , he’d die to make Lea scream, but Lea would just look at him, as dead inside as he was, and that would just make it worse and make Isa fuck him harder—

Lea’s knee pushes between his thighs. Isa abruptly breaks away. He turns his head aside, dodging Lea’s next kiss, panting and flushed. Lea freezes, breathing just as hard. Isa can feel his whole body responding, and he’s just not...

He’s not ready. Not to _feel_ so much. It’s not their actions; it’s those feelings beneath them. It’s too overwhelming. Lea slowly pulls away, and the disappointment is all over his handsome face. He never was very good at masking his emotions. 

Isa absently licks his wet lips and suggests, “We should head back.”

Lea frowns but nods.


	3. Almost

He _wants_ Isa, which is a strange sensation, because he spent the past few years trying to forget the man that used to be his best friend in the world. He never really _replaced_ Isa with Roxas—at least, he didn’t mean to—but he knows Isa thinks that. It’s not the same. He’s made himself comfortable in Radiant Garden, and in the morning, Isa’s the one he looks for.

But Isa has other things to do. He isn’t in his room, or down in the laboratory, and Lea finally comes across him in the study, sitting on a sofa next to Ienzo and chatting quietly. Lea doesn’t interrupt, even though he wants to—something makes his stomach clench, and he itches to pull Isa away. That wouldn’t be fair. He _wants_ Isa to have other friends. He wants Isa to blossom and flourish in the light, rather than retreat into the loneliness of the way they used to be. Isa being cold and untouchable was part of what broke them apart in the first place. So it’s good now if he’s getting along more with others, if he can see Somebodies like Ienzo more as associates than subordinates. They’re turned away from Lea, and they’re far enough away from him, speaking low enough, that Lea can’t catch everything they’re saying. The snippets that he hears are encouraging but private—Isa wanting to know more about his former home and how to cope with _feelings_.

Those are questions Ienzo can answer better than Lea. And Isa probably should have some semblance of space; his recuperation shouldn’t hinge solely on Lea’s company. So Lea withdraws for the moment, knowing he’ll wind up returning sooner rather than later, even if he tries to stay away.

The dark corridors don’t leap at his command like they used to, but keyblade wielders have other methods that Lea can employ. It feels so bizarre to take a funny-looking ‘spaceship’ from a pair of chipmunks, but that’s what he’s done to return, and he finds the awkward mass of mismatched blocks waiting for him in the hanger. The saving grace is that he doesn’t have to actually _fly_ it—Cid fit a special ‘block’ in that lets him reach his destination in a flash, the celestial wormhole not all that unlike the dark corridors he used to use. He’s back in Twilight Town in only a few minutes, where the orange sky greets him with open arms.

The streets of Twilight Town are busier than they used to be. The trouble’s mostly passed, and new local attractions have developed, but all the old things are still there to enjoy—the silly Struggle tournament, the enormous clock-tower, the back-alley where Roxas’ _other_ friends like to hang out. Lea heads there first, coming out of the woods and crossing the shopping district, then heading up the hill towards the train station. It still feels odd to simply walk out in the open where anyone might see him, especially in clothes that don’t keep him hidden in the shadows. But he knows he’s probably adjusting better than Isa is. He’s never hated attention. He gets halfway up the hill, then he has to jump abruptly back to avoid getting run over. 

The blur streaking past him does a one-eighty and grinds to a halt in front of him, setting one food down on the pavement. The other keeps the boy balanced on the skateboard, and Roxas gives Lea a big smile. Lea returns it, snorting, “Thanks for not killing me there.”

“Was tempted,” Roxas teases, “but then I figured I’d just scare you half to death instead.”

Lea’s heart is indeed beating faster with adrenaline—another odd sensation. But it’s slowing back down as his body realizes that it’s safe. Roxas would never hurt him. At least, not knowingly, now that he remembers how much they mean to one another 

Roxas obligingly gets off his skateboard, reaching down to pick it up and carry it under one arm. It makes him look kind of cool, despite the fact that he’s pretty short and super adorable. He nods towards the ally Lea was heading for, asking, “Wanna go sit? I’ve got some time before Xion finishes.”

Lea nods and starts walking, Roxas instantly falling into step. “What’s she finishing?”

“Delivering papers. Not exactly a glamorous job, but hey, we gotta start somewhere. And I’m trying to get better so I can compete in the next skateboard tournament. I’m not quite there yet, but I’m getting some pretty rad tricks under my belt... and hey, if that doesn’t work out, at least I can deliver letters faster.”

Lea snorts. They reach the corner and turn into the little cove that Roxas’ friends have made a home of, though they’re not there at the moment. That leaves room for the two of them to plop down onto the shaggy couch. Once they do, Lea asks, “So, what’s with you guys working?”

Roxas gives him a sheepish grin. “Well, we can’t crash at the Old Mansion forever... well, we probably could, but it’s not really _ours_ , y’know? So... Xion and I have been trying to work up some funds to get a real place here.” Then he quickly adds, “You can join in, if you want,” which totally warms Lea’s heart. 

Except he knows that’s not the right move for him. He’d enjoy it, probably, but he _belongs_ somewhere else. He breaks that in gently. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it. But...”

“But nah?”

“But nah.”

Roxas nods like he understands and leans back in the couch. He’s one of the few people in the universe who probably _could_ understand, because he’s been re-completed, and he’s had friends that used to be just as empty inside as him. He looks at Lea for a moment, and Lea looks, wondering what he’s wondering, until Roxas quietly asks, “You visiting Saïx?”

Lea hesitates for a minute before admitting, “Yeah.”

Roxas waits, but Lea doesn’t offer anymore. Roxas probably doesn’t remember, but he never got along well with Saïx. Isa was a damaged husk of a man by then. But Roxas wouldn’t have known about that damage—he would’ve just seen a heartless jerk that equated people to pawns. 

He never really stopped being _Lea’s_ jerk, even if there were times they were barely speaking. But Roxas didn’t know that. 

Finally, Roxas says, “Just give him some attention.”

Lea starts. “Huh?”

Roxas shrugs. “I mean... I figure you’re here ‘cause you’re having problems with him, right?”

“Pfft, what, I can’t visit my bud without an ulterior motive?”

“’Course you can. Except this bud doesn’t need you right now; the other one does. And I know what you’re like with friends who need you. And, like... coming back from being a Nobody... it’s a lonely thing, you know? If I didn’t have you and Xion...” He sort of trails off, frown deepening. But he doesn’t have to fill it in. Lea knows. And Lea wasn’t even _that_ lonely. He had friends towards the end, even if they could never replace the one he lost. 

Isa didn’t have that. Roxas sighs, “It’s a big adjustment, getting used to being human.”

Lea nods and just grunts, “Yeah.”

Then Roxas elbows him and laughs, “Although it’s probably easier for you than the rest of us; it seemed like you felt stuff the whole time.”

Lea snorts and grins, though it still hurts to admit, “I was just remembering what it felt like. I didn’t really.”

In fact, he vividly remembers _trying_ to feel. He’d pour his all into hacking away at the heartless, knowing it was fruitless, run himself ragged on missions, try staying in bed for hours, then go to Saïx and yell his ears off. 

Axel would take his flames right into Saïx’s room, shout and push at Saïx’s chest, then simmer down and never try it again, because it never got him anywhere. The thing he tried most was feeling Saïx’s body—crushing bruising kisses into his lips and tugging him onto the mattress. 

When he shuts his eyes, he can still picture Saïx sprawled out beneath him, the same and yet so _different_ —yellow eyes and pointed ears. Still objectively attractive. Still hauntingly beautiful. Axel would shove an eager tongue into his mouth and snake all ten fingers beneath his cloak, tracing his hot skin, running over hard muscles and soft flesh. He’d trail his mouth down Saïx’s throat, nipping here and there, not afraid to _bite_ , fingers scraping angry red lines as he’d move lower. He’d nuzzle into Saïx’s crotch and unfasten Saïx’s black trousers, only to kiss around his base and hover over his cock, then swallow it all down, unable to choke. Saïx would fuck his throat raw in no time.

And still, he’d feel _nothing_. Only the faint edges of frustration. 

And Saïx got more and more power hungry, and they got rougher and rougher, Axel lost control and always wound up on the bottom. Saïx would hold him down, occasionally tie him up, ram into him for hours and hours and still not be able to go deep enough to hit Axel’s _soul_ —

Except Roxas doesn’t need to know about all that. It’s not just that they were _Nobodies_ ; they have baggage for days. But maybe Isa does need attention. Maybe Lea strayed first, ran off and made other friends, and now he at least knows that Isa was _jealous._

“It’s weird seeing you thinking,” Roxas says. “’Didn’t know you could do that.”

“Hey!” Lea laughs, pushing Roxas in mock indignation. “I’m a thoughtful guy!”

Roxas snorts, “As if!” and probably doesn’t realize that he’s just done a perfect Xigbar.

Lea ruffles his hair just for the fun of it, ignoring his affronted yelp. Like Lea knew he would, he leaves sooner than he means to— _home_ is waiting.

* * *

By the time he returns to Radiant Garden, it’s twilight, which has become strange to see on other worlds. It isn’t quite the same—the grey brickwork doesn’t complement the light quite like the warm hues of the town he left. It’s still _pretty_ , just in a different way. It washes through the window of the old keep that looks so very Hollow Bastion. Lea makes it through most of the palace without seeing Isa—he eats dinner alone, then retires to his quarters. He heard what Roxas said but still thinks Isa needs some time. Then he bumps into Isa on the way up to his bedroom, and that goes out the window.

Isa’s clearly heading to his own quarters, and they both fall into step, neither speaking as they walk together up the stairs. It isn’t until they’ve reached the next landing that Isa asks, “Where were you today?”

“Twilight Town,” Lea answers, even though he knows that isn’t an answer Isa wants to hear. Isa does look _bothered_ —he frowns and turns away. Lea clicks his tongue and says, “Hey, I came back, didn’t I?”

“You saw your... _friends_ ,” Isa says, with just a little bit of uncomfortable emphasis on the final word. Lea nods.

Their footsteps falter at the space between their quarters. Demyx’s door is closed, but the rest are open, all of them probably still on duty, well adjusted to their rules. Lea and Isa aren’t quite there yet. Isa looks at his own door, and Lea blurts, “Can I come in?”

Isa lifts a brow. It draws attention to his scar, paper thin and pale pink. He’s wearing new clothes today—dark trousers and a loose sweater that nearly matches the colour of his hair. He looks good in it, like he does in most things. Lea grew used to seeing him only in black. 

When Isa doesn’t answer right away, Lea adds, “To talk. You can tell me about your day...” He probably took it slow, but that could still be interesting. Maybe he went clothes shopping, or maybe someone else in the castle leant him things. Maybe he’s met all the others now, or maybe he still hasn’t seen the odd little fairies that like to fly about the bailey. Whatever he did do, Lea’s interested.

After a long pause, Isa nods. He opens up his door and holds it open, Lea slipping happily inside.

* * *

They do talk. They talk for a long while, first about little things, inane details like how nothing’s changed with Lexaeus but how Demyx is braver with backtalk. Then they move on to deeper details—the implications of Ienzo’s research and how little the locals trust them. Apparently, Isa had a long talk with Aerith earlier, but he won’t say what about, and Lea doesn’t pry, even though he’s curious. He listens to everything Isa has to say but doesn’t mention Twilight Town—especially the offer to move in with Roxas. He doesn’t notice how long they’re going until it starts becoming difficult to see Isa through the darkness.

As the light fades and the stars come out, Lea knows that he should leave. Isa still needs rest. They both do. But sitting and talking with Isa feels so _right_ that he doesn’t want to leave. And Isa’s such a handsome man, tall and strong and utterly unique—there’s no one like him in all the worlds out there. Lea would know. When Isa does finally suggest, “Perhaps we should retire for the night,” Lea isn’t ready.

Lea nods, says, “Yeah,” and then leans over to press a kiss against Isa’s parted lips.

They’re both sitting on the bed. Their rooms don’t have much furniture yet, and this is more comfortable, and Lea’s glad of it now—it makes it easy to turn and push Isa up against the headboard. Isa grunts but kisses him back, just like before, just like Lea wants him to. It feels so _natural_. It’s the easiest thing in the world to lift his hand and run his fingers through Isa’s long hair. 

Isa touches him too. This time, their hands all stray—Lea cups Isa’s face while Isa tentatively grips Lea’s sides. Lea tilts Isa to whatever angle he wants, collecting different kisses, switching them up, swiping his tongue over Isa’s lips and pushing inside. Isa welcomes him with a small, stifled moan that goes straight to Lea’s groin. Isa’s so _hot_. He always was. Lea used to look up to him. Lea wanted in his pants even when they were on different sides, Lea as _Lea_ and Isa still _Saïx_. Roxas and Xion were great, but Lea didn’t fantasize about pushing them down onto a soft bed and spreading their thighs open, climbing right between and claiming their body. He wants to do that now. He presses as close to Isa as he can, kissing Isa with everything he has. 

It turns heated _fast_. Lea can’t help himself. He’s a passionate person, and Isa fans his flames without even trying. He finds himself slowly rocking against Isa as he moves, grinding their bodies together while their mouths keep opening and closing, tongues slipping in and out of each other’s mouths. Isa’s lips are so _soft_. Isa’s sweater is too thick. Lea wants to feel skin on skin. He drops one hand to run along the hem of the sweater, just below Isa’s waistband. Then he dares to let his fingers breech beneath it—he traces Isa’s bare hips and shivers at the contact. He’s delighted when Isa lets him.

Isa’s hands stray too. Both slip around him, pulling him closer, one climbing his back and the other dipping down. One hand slowly slides over his rear. It closes in. It _squeezes_. Lea moans into Isa’s mouth and bucks forward.

Lea _wants Isa so badly._ He can’t contain himself. He runs up Isa’s chest, palm grazing over Isa’s nipples, pressing in—he starts feeling Isa up with both hands and pushing up Isa’s sweater. He wants to rip it off. He’s hard already. He wants to know if Isa is too but doesn’t have the wherewithal to tell just from rutting them together, so he drops one hand to cup between Isa’s legs. 

Isa’s just as hard as he is. But Isa suddenly splays a hand against his chest and pushes him back. Lea goes, lips wet and open. Isa won’t meet his eyes.

It’s over again. The disappointment rains down on Lea like heavy hale. He doesn’t understand why Isa keeps stopping him. 

“Go back to your room.”

At least it’s not an order. It doesn’t sound like the way that Saïx used to bark at him. It’s just a simple statement. Lea wants to fight—he was supposed to give Isa attention, and he wants to. But he can see the sliver of distress in Isa’s usual veneer of calm, so he murmurs, “Okay.”

Lea gives Isa a final peck on the cheek, then leaves.


	4. There

Isa’s well aware of all his problems. He always was on at least some level, but it mattered less when his sole purpose was the creation of Kingdom Hearts—he could afford to be stubborn and cruel when his job description forbid kindness. Even when they were younger, he knew he was a tad too hard on Lea. But Lea was a firecracker that could handle him, and Isa was slow to change. 

His biggest problem now isn’t inflexibility or anger. Most of the negativity went away with his black cloak. But _jealousy_ still comes up to rear it’s ugly head. If Isa’s going to survive in this new realm of humanity, he knows he’ll need to get over it. He’s too old to be so bitter. He’s _supposed_ to be the mature one. He tries to focus on other things—familiarizing himself with the new castle and Ienzo’s work, listening to Aerith and Leon’s reconstruction plans, even training with Dilan and Aeleus—in a way, he has a new body to grow used to. Yet nine times out of ten, he finds his mind drifting off to other places: namely, where _Lea_ is, what Lea’s doing, who he’s doing it with. Probably Twilight Town. Probably smiling and laughing. Probably with Roxas, maybe Xion, or any other of the dozens of friends he’s likely made since re-completion. 

A part of Isa still thinks friends are overrated, but that’s because he’s never needed any more than the one he already has. If that’s even still true. Maybe they’re _not_ friends anymore. Isa refuses to think like that. Lea was always a part of him.

Lea’s gone for most of the day, or, at least, Isa doesn’t see him. Granted, Isa’s busy, whittling the time away with all his new associates. It isn’t until he’s finished with dinner and dawdling in the library that he runs into Lea again. Lea’s lounging in a thick armchair in the corner, staring out the tall windows, not even pretending to read. Isa wouldn’t have thought him a library sort of person, but then, Isa knows there’s more to Lea now than what there used to be. Maybe Lea’s just found the same thing as Isa: this is one of the keep’s quieter places, and there’s sometimes more peace in seclusion. Isa finds himself moving closer in the orange light. He’s struck suddenly by the irony of that—it seems they always meet at _twilight_ now.

Halfway there, Lea looks over, startling at seeing Isa. Then he stands up out of his chair, coming closer as though to head Isa off. Isa wasn’t going anywhere else anyway. He knows they actually need to _talk_ about their feelings now, no matter how unnatural that seems. Aerith told him that, but he already knew it. There’s no sense brooding anymore, not when they actually have a chance at a decent future. Lea looks like he’s been thinking too. He frowns at Isa, more serious than usual. 

Isa means to start with ‘hello’ but somehow blurts out, “Were you in Twilight Town?” It comes out like an accusation, which he knows is ridiculous.

Lea’s frown deepens, clearly catching the implication. He still answers truthfully: “Yeah.”

Isa’s mouth opens. Nothing comes out, and it closes again, his gaze turning aside as he searches for the right words. He doesn’t know how to _do this_. He can’t keep putting it off forever.

Finally, he admits, “That bothers me.” It’s simple, blunt, and honest, but it stings like admitting a weakness. He doesn’t even know what he wants Lea to do about that—obviously, Lea shouldn’t have to give up his new feelings to sooth Isa’s. 

Lea says, “They’re just friends, Isa.” 

Isa doesn’t ask who. Instead, he looks right at Lea and wonders allowed, “Am I?”

Lea blinks. His eyes look fantastic green—Isa’s bizarrely grateful he never fell to Xehanort. Lea’s the one to break their eye contact next, glancing down at his feet and scratching the back of his head. He shuffles awkwardly over the question. Then he sucks in a breath and shrugs his skinny shoulders, head tilting back up. He spreads his hands and starts, “I... kinda want you to be my boyfriend, I guess.” Isa’s instantly surprised, which has Lea adding, “I know, it’s weird to say. ...But that’s what normal people who want to be together do, right?”

Probably. Isa’s stumped for a moment, then slowly says, “I’m trying to explain my feelings now, Lea. I’m trying to interpret and appease them. So... it can’t just be sex anymore.”

“Who said anything about sex?” Lea mutters, uttering a singular, humourless laugh. 

Isa pushes on. “I mean it. I don’t want to just be a warm body that you lie with at night, only to return to your real friends in the morning.”

“Hey.” Lea’s expression abruptly hardens. He takes a step closer, and there wasn’t much room between them to begin with. “I wasn’t doing that.”

He wasn’t _really_ , but that’s still what Isa fears for their future. He can tell he’s struck a chord in Lea and neither backs down from that nor stokes Lea’s flames—Lea always did have a temper. Isa waits him out, and then Lea comes down on his own, shaking his head. He tells Isa, “I don’t want that either, Isa. I want you differently than I want them, but it’s not less. If anything, it’s more. _You’re_ the one I want to come home to, okay?”

Isa doesn’t know if that’s okay. Isa has no idea how this works. Lea sighs and rephrases. “I’m _asking_ for us to be more than that. We’re already so intertwined, and I don’t think anyone’s ever going to understand us as well as we understand each other. So let’s just make it official. We can learn the rest together. I’m going to keep my friends, but I want you to be my _partner_. Got it?”

Isa doesn’t answer right away. It’s not that he doesn’t want to agree, it’s that he’s still processing. Lea seems to grow tired of waiting. He reaches out to grab a fistful of blue hair and tug Isa in—he kisses Isa somewhere right between tender and fierce.

Isa kisses back. Even if his head’s still working things out, his body knows what it wants, and it wants Lea. It never stopped wanting Lea. Proximity to his oldest friend always gave him some semblance of comfort, even when he could barely acknowledge it. Lea keeps the string of kisses going, one after the other, his tongue slipping into Isa’s mouth and keeping him busy. Isa sucks it in and licks back into Lea’s mouth, his answer to Lea’s question lost amidst a moan. 

When they do part, it’s only enough for Isa to murmur, “I do want to build a life with you.” Lea nods like he knows. Lea kisses Isa again. He tries to turn Isa, goading him back into a bookshelf, but Isa pushes Lea back and insists, “I want to do it right.”

Lea looks confused, at least until Isa adds, “On a bed.”

Lea grins. He reaches for Isa’s hand, interlocking their fingers, then swiftly tugs Lea out of the library.

* * *

“Normally, people start a little slower,” Lea muses between kisses, walking Isa back inside his bedroom. The door’s already shut, the curtains are still left open, the light low and the air cooling down. Isa feels inordinately _warm_. Isa doesn’t care what normal people do, at least, not in this regard.

Another few steps and they hit Lea’s bed—Isa lets his knees buckle, lets Lea lay him down. One knee on the mattress, and Lea hikes up beside him, looping an arm beneath Isa’s waist and dragging him up higher. Isa’s head settles on the pillow. Lea tosses one leg over him and leans down to resume their kissing. 

Their contact is electric. Every time Isa surges up, Lea surges back down, kissing him hard and leaving him breathless. It’s a wonder Lea can still form words, but he manages in between their hungry mouths, adding with a slick smirk, “Then again, seeing as how we’ve already been inside each other...”

“You haven’t been inside this body,” Isa half-growls, half-pants. He hasn’t been inside _Lea_ yet either, just _Axel_ , which was ridiculously pleasurable and yet entirely unsatisfying. Every intimacy they’ve shared before has just been a paradox. Isa knows it will be different now. It’s already so much _better_ , touching this new man before him, and having Lea feel him up in return. Lea’s hands are desperate, almost violent, but out of pent up _want_ instead of brutality. Isa’s just as bad. He’s sure he’s leaving bruises, and they’re doing nothing more than rutting into one another. He can’t seem to stop himself. Their sex used to make him just crave more power; now he only craves _Lea_.

Lea grins at his semi-joke. Lea pushes up, pulling away from Isa’s mouth, though Isa tries to follow. Lea splays a hand over his chest and shoves him back down. Lea purrs at him with such sensual confidence, “That’s about to change.”

Isa nods. He thinks he’s ready now. He hasn’t worked everything out and feels more overwhelmed than ever, but he couldn’t fathom stopping. This is the way to find it all out: exploring their new realm together. Physically as much as emotionally. At least right now. Lea’s eyes sweep over Isa’s body as though sizing up a tasty treat, and Isa finds he likes that feeling.

The jacket he’s been given is still black, but it’s striped down the sides in grey-blue, and its silver trim and buttons make it so different than the cloak he used to wear. Lea’s outfit is similarly dark, though he’s lost his sleeves, and his collar’s already open. He moves one hand to the zipper on Isa’s high collar. Isa nods. 

Licking his lips once, Lea begins to slide down the zipper. Isa lets himself be slowly exposed, lets Lea go all the way to the bottom, where he disconnects the flaps and pushes them open. Isa hasn’t yet donned anything underneath—his wardrobe’s still mostly empty. Lea takes a moment to eye everything on display, though he’s seen it all before. His fingers trail up to trace each dip and curve, following the hard lines of Isa’s stomach, lightly dusted in a six-pack. He’s thicker and more defined than Lea is, though not by much, and Lea’s just as strong in his own way. Lea’s palms dig in beneath Isa’s abs and smooth roughly across them, dragging back over afterwards to flick at Isa’s nipples. Isa has a short intake of breath. Lea bends down to kiss his breast. 

When Lea straightens again, Isa doesn’t have to ask. Lea strips off his own vest and the v-neck shirt beneath. Isa lets himself indulge—he reaches up to give Lea the same treatment that he received, running up Lea’s lithe sides and touching every muscle. Lea leans forward into his hands, asking huskily, “Who do you want to top first?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Isa mutters, even though there was a time when he couldn’t stand to be anything but the top—he _needed_ to muster some dominance, to lord it over Lea like he did his position in the organization itself. In retrospect, that was utter nonsense—he gained nothing more out of it for all his rigidity and force. Axel seemed to understand that, even then. He was pliant in Saïx’s hand and let Saïx work out his aggression on Axel’s gorgeous body, and it still got them nowhere. 

Now Isa’s eyes flicker up to catch Lea’s, and he finishes his statement: “I imagine we’ll both have a turn before the night’s through.”

Lea’s grin is broad and beautiful. He’s _such_ a handsome figure, with his shock of extravagant red hair and his piercing eyes, his sharp face and sharper body, all delicious angles that Isa wants to run his tongue over. He can’t stop _touching_ Lea, even as Lea turns away from him. 

Leaning away but keeping perch atop Isa’s lap, Lea reaches for his nightstand. He pulls the top drawer open and extracts a bottle that looks not unlike a potion. Lea explains as he returns, “Something Dilan gave me—it’ll ease the way.”

Isa nods while his throat goes dry. Of course. He’d forgotten all about that. There was no need as Nobodies—even their pain never felt real. And they weren’t courteous enough to bother. Near the end, he didn’t _care_. He ripped into Axel’s too-tight rear without a second thought, and it didn’t matter how loud Axel screamed. Axel didn’t seem to mind then. Now Lea lifts up on both knees and starts shoving down his pants—Isa watches with baited breath.

Lea’s cock is just how he remembers it. Long, slim, juicy pink and red near the tip, lightly veined down the sides and nestled in curls as bright as Lea’s hair. His sac rests close beneath it, half caught in Lea’s underwear. Isa leaves it there, instead bypassing the remainder of their clothes to place his hands on Lea’s slender hips. Lea looks down, connecting their eyes, and reaches behind himself. Isa can’t quite see what’s happening, but he can guess well enough from Lea’s sudden gasp and the languid groan that follows. He knows he’ll get a closer look another time, because there’ll be different positions, different configurations, different places and nights. It couldn’t possibly end here. This feels too _real_. Isa’s own cock is painfully hard within the confines of his trousers, but he refrains from touching himself in the interest of lasting longer. He only watches Lea’s stiff cock and the muscles in his thighs tense and release as he fingers himself open. Isa’s nearly trembling by the time that Lea’s finished. 

Fingers still wet with lubrication, Lea draws down Isa’s fly. His hand slips beneath Isa’s boxers, cupping Isa’s cock, and Isa has to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from crying out. It feels so good to have Lea touch him there, and to do it in this context—their first time as _Somebodies._ Lea strokes him idly before pulling him out, and Isa isn’t even bothered by the cool open air, because Lea’s touch is impossibly warm. Lea pumps him a few times to spread the lubrication over him, then lifts up and hovers there. 

Once Lea’s lined them up, pushing the tip of Isa’s cock against the furrowed brim of his hole, Lea catches Isa’s eyes. It seems like he’s silently seeking permission, which Isa nods to give. Then Lea’s lowering down, guiding himself the whole way.

The first breech is glorious. Isa moans lewdly, head tilting back and fingers digging tighter into Lea’s bony hips. Lea grits his teeth and hisses, face scrunching up, but he doesn’t slow—he pushes steadily onwards, swallowing Isa up more and more. He looks utterly spectacular. Isa’s swamped in the instant pleasure and the vision that is his _boyfriend_ , bare and hungry for him. When he’s more than halfway inside, Lea drops his hands to steady himself on Isa’s stomach. Isa keeps guiding him down. He doesn’t stop until Lea’s fully seated, sitting squarely on Isa’s crotch with Isa’s hard cock completely buried inside. 

It’s exquisite. Lea’s channel is tighter than Isa remembers, which doesn’t make any sense, because he never used to stretch Axel beforehand. Lea’s insides are velvet soft and boiling hot. Lea even clenches up around him, wracking a broken groan out of Isa’s throat. Then Lea starts rocking forward, only to pushing off, dragging deliciously along Isa’s thick shaft. 

A second later, Lea’s dropping down, and Isa cries out at the sudden rush of friction. Lea does it again, and again, bouncing up and down to a frantic rhythm. His cheeks colour dark enough to clash with the red spikes that topple down and stick to his forehead, and his lips part and stay open, gasping in air as he robs himself of his own breath. Isa’s not faring much better. His pulse is racing fast. He can feel it hammering away in his chest, ringing in his ears. He clutches on tight and finds himself guiding Lea into every thrust, pulling him down harsher every time. Wet squelching sounds drum up with the slapping noise of flesh on flesh. Lea’s cock bounces against his stomach and thighs, every bit as hard as Isa’s. 

“ _Isa_ ,” Lea moans deliciously, and that’s what sets Isa off. He grits his teeth and swiftly lurches sideways, dragging Lea down with him. Lea yells out, but by then he’s already hit the mattress, and Isa’s rolling on top of him, still buried to the hilt. He bears down over Lea and grabs Lea’s cock, stroking it with nothing more than his own spit to ease the way. He resumes fucking Lea with relentless ferocity. He dives down to claim Lea’s mouth, and Lea mewls happily into the kiss. 

Isa is a beast again. He isn’t the monster that Saïx was, but he’s no new hatchling either—he reclaims his power for his own and channels it into his ardour. His want for Lea surpasses sex, but sex is his expression of it—every bit of _love_ he has for Lea goes into bringing their bodies closer. And Lea seems to _love_ it. He wraps himself tightly around Isa’s shoulders, spreads his legs wide open, and drowns in Isa’s kisses as Isa fucks him into oblivion. 

For their first time in the delirium of sex with _emotion_ , Isa lasts impressively long. But he can’t last forever. Lea’s much too good for that. Isa finds himself barreling towards his end too soon, roaring out his lust and slamming full-force into Lea. His seed bursts inside Lea’s body, and he just keeps shoving it in. Lea shivers and flexes around him, only to spasm and come a minute later. Isa keeps pumping him out too, even though his cum’s probably splattering and staining both their clothes. In the moment, Isa can’t care. All that matters is _Lea_. He finishes with Lea’s name still on his tongue. 

When it’s done, when he’s spent every last drop that’s in him, Isa practically collapses. He drops down onto Lea, cocooning tight around him. Lea groans and pushes at him, twitching against his stomach and murmuring, “’Heavier than I remember.”

Begrudgingly, Isa pulls off enough to let Lea breathe. Another few seconds of obnoxious breathing, and he pulls his sweat-slicked cock from Lea’s fucked-open channel. The sight of it’s intoxicating, almost enough to get Isa going again. He doesn’t have the energy for that right away. He lets his eyes drift back to Lea’s flushed face, and he drops down at Lea’s side. Lea rolls to face him. 

Even though Isa wanted to make a point of being better with words, there are no words at the moment. Isa can’t think of anything to say that his body hasn’t already expressed. Lea seems just as broken. The two of them lie there together, panting atop the blankets, flecked with sweat and cum. If they were still Nobodies, Isa would’ve left already.

But they’re not, and Isa can’t think of anywhere he’d rather be. Slowly, Lea recovers enough to smile. Then he hoarsely promises, “I’ll still be here in the morning.”

Isa isn’t worried about that anymore. It seems absurd that one round of physicality should quench that, but it has. He feels foolish for ever being insecure—he should know that Lea would never _truly_ leave him.

Isa reaches over to find Lea’s hand. Lea threads their fingers together. Isa leans in for another kiss, unable to completely stay away, and Lea rolls them over to start up all over again like they never stopped.


	5. Aftermath

The apartment’s pretty small, but there are only so many Heartless left to farm munny off of, and it’s not like they need a huge space. Most of the places they’ve looked at are equally tiny—it seems like space in Twilight Town is at a premium. Lea doesn’t dare suggest they occupy the manor. It’s laden with too many memories, and a month-to-month tenancy in a no-strings rental is just _easier_. Lea phrases it like they can break the lease any time, _break up_ anytime, give up entirely and head on back to Radiant Garden if the need arises. But he sincerely hopes that won’t happen. Isa looks so serious that Lea’s sure he’s also betting on the long run.

They haven’t got a lot to move in with. The place comes half-furnished with existing furniture and cutlery, but they’ll have to fill in the rest. The place is devoid of any personality—no pictures or rugs or even pillows, but it still feels warmer than their _old_ castle ever did. Then again, it might just be that the sunset’s warm hues wash through the whole apartment via the wide living room windows. It really is a lovely little world, though it’s got nothing on his boyfriend.

Isa brings in another box from the hallway, carting it to the kitchen counter. It has a few personal effects in it—things recovered from back before the ‘incident’, like toys and clothes that they’ve both since long outgrown. The box still holds good memories. Lea brings in another to set beside it and sees Isa hesitating. 

After a long pause, Isa starts peeling away the packing tape that’s keeping the box closed. Before he’s finished, Isa asks, “You sure?”

Isa looks over at him. Lea can’t help glancing guilty towards the window—there’s no escaping their location, no pretending they’re anywhere but the land of eternal twilight. That seems to tip Isa off that Lea’s talking about this world itself, not just one particular box of old mementos. To Lea’s surprise, he answers, “Yes.”

“Really?” 

Isa’s already leaving, going out to get the third and last bundle of their personal possessions. The rest is all generic things from Hollow Bastion—necessities gifted by Ienzo, like bedding and toiletries. Lea waits for Isa to return with the last of the ‘special’ boxes.

When Isa does, he bluntly tells Lea, “Besides, this way I can keep an eye on you.”

Lea snorts. A grin twists onto his face, and it grows twice as big when he pictures Isa peering around the curtains, staring down at Lea talking to Roxas and Xion in the street. Somehow, he can’t see Isa actually going that far, but it’s still a funny image. Lea nudges him and says, “You’re free to come along too, you know.”

Isa shrugs noncommittally and starts peeling off more tape.

“C’mon, it’d be good for you.”

“Lea...”

“You need more friends.”

Isa turns an annoyed look to Lea, but Lea cuts it off by leaning in for an emphatic kiss, making it quite clear where his heart really lies. When he parts them afterwards, smirking up a storm, Isa hazily eyes his lips. 

Before Lea’s fully retreated, Isa tugs him in for a fiercer kiss. Always one for _passion_ , Lea leans hungrily into it. He still can’t get enough of the way that Isa kisses him. It isn’t just that it’s so much _better_ than it was—it’s _perfect_. It makes his pulse quicken, his heart beating so soundly that Lea can feel it hammering away inside his chest. He loves that feeling. He loves feeling _alive_. And Isa gives him that sensation more than anybody else, even if Isa doesn’t quite realize that yet. Maybe it’s for the best that he doesn’t know how much power he still has over Lea.

One kiss turns into two, to five, and soon they’re inseparable, hands wandering and bodies nudging one another back against the counter. When Lea’s hip bangs almost painfully into the edge of it, he decides they need a change. 

He pushes Isa back. Isa growls and bites at Lea’s bottom lip but lets himself be goaded back into the hallway. There Lea breaks them up long enough to push the rest of the boxes inside their apartment. Then he shuts and locks the door, because he’s already given his friends their new address, and this isn’t the time to have them over. 

As soon as he returns to Isa, Isa’s hands are on him, twisted in his hair and clutching at his ass. Lea purrs between kisses, “Wanna break in our new bed...?”

He half expects Isa to scoff—they haven’t even put any sheets on it yet. But Isa doesn’t say a word, just grabs Lea’s wrist and drags him off towards it. Lea hurriedly stumbles along, every bit as eager.

* * *

Lea feels divine. His ass is a tad bit sore, but it’s worth it to know that Isa’s in just as bad shape—Lea has even less control than he does when it comes to their bedroom. Their now fully furnished bedroom. Or at least, the bed’s dressed properly and they’ve got curtains up. They’ll still need to get some things to spice it up, including some of those odd toys that Dilan’s mentioned. 

The point is that it’s functional. Their apartment’s cute, ready, and on the right path, and it’s so close that he can walk over to the clock tower. He gets there first, but Roxas isn’t far behind. Lea greets his friend with an enormous grin, only to drop it and note, “Hey, where’s the ice cream?”

“I thought you were buying this round,” Roxas says, taking a seat right next to him. It puts them directly over their town, their feet dangling in the air and their hands grounded on the edge. It’s a dangerous position, Isa’s told him—or rather, lectured him—but Lea explained they never go alone. If one of them fell, the others would catch them. And besides, they’re all keyblade masters: a fall like that wouldn’t be any big deal.

Roxas has been through more than one fall, but he looks just fine—looks _right_ and happy. He nudges Lea’s side and says, “You look like you’re in a good mood today.”

Of course he is. He got a new place and had fantastic sex with the boyfriend he’s always wanted. It finally feels like _good things_ are happening, after all the bad he’s suffered. It’s all falling into place. Roxas speculates, “You and Saïx work it out, then?”

“Isa,” Lea corrects, “And yeah, you could say that.”

“Cool. What happened?”

Lea opens his mouth to tell a very abbreviated version, but he’s saved by Xion showing up. It’s just as well, because he doubts Roxas wants to know the exact reason Lea’s glowing. Xion perches on Roxas’ other side, the light breeze kicking up her skirt and ruffled sleeves. She looks adorable and better than she ever has.

And she adequately distracts Roxas, who sighs, “Aw, you didn’t bring any either.”

“Any what?” Xion asks, tilting her head. But before either of them can answer, she’s onto Lea. “And how’d the apartment hunt go? Did you get that one you were looking at?”

“Yeah, just finished setting it up.”

“Great!” Xion grins so wide—it’s obvious that she’s genuinely pleased for him. Sometimes it still hits Lea how selfless and sweet their kind can be. Then she falters, looking out over the city space and musing, “It was a little small though, it only had one bedroom, right? Roxas and I need one with two...”

Roxas interjects with, “We’ll find a good one soon. But who cares about that when we’re sitting up here with empty stomachs—who’s gonna get the ice cream?”

Lea holds out his hand, ready to do ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors,’ like Demyx taught him, but then a delicious-looking blue ice cream bar is thrust out right in front of him. 

He blinks up at Isa, standing just behind him, looking particularly gorgeous in the open light, silhouetted in all yellows and oranges. It clashes brilliantly with his blue hair, and it washes his dark clothes lighter. It softens him, even the thin scar across his forehead. He’s holding four sticks between his two hands and gestures with them, since no one’s taken any yet. 

Lea smiles. He wants to say, _I love you_ , but saves it for later, when the two of them are alone, back in their home together, reminiscing on this moment. Roxas is the first to take an ice cream.

Xion helps herself next, and Isa slips the third onto into Lea’s waiting hands. Then he comes to sit on Lea’s other side, fitting right into the picture.

Xion tells him, “Thank you.” He nods, and Roxas holds his up like toasting to Isa. Lea can’t stop grinning. 

They eat their first few bites in peaceful silence. Then the conversation comfortably resumes, absorbing Isa like he’s been there all along. He’s stiff in the beginning, but he melts as time goes on, completely immersed in their discussion of the bistro by the time that Lea’s finished devouring his ice cream.

Then he just needs a moment to lean back and absorb it all, because his heart is full to bursting: he couldn’t be happier.


End file.
